Device for storing and administering serums.



APPLICATION FILED DEC. 3, I914.

Patented Apr. 18, 1916.

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- the air during the time of storage and ship MARY E. RE-ED, or-noacnnsrr'nn, MASSACHUSETTS.

DEVICE FOR STORING AND ADMINISTERING SERUMS.

Specification 9f {Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 1a, 1916.

Application filed December 3, 1914. Serial No. 875,344.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, MARY E. REED, of Dorchester, in the county of Suffolk and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in De-f vices for Storing and Administering Serums, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to devices for storing and administering serums or the like.

ping of the device. Furthermore said needle must never be handled after it has been sterilized.

The object of the invention is to provide a device adapted to contain serums and the like and to be hermetically sealed to pretor,-and the end of said protector sealed to prevent the admission of air to the lnterior thereof. v r I Another object of the invention is to provide a closure for the serum receptacle,

which closure is adapted to be ruptured by I the application of pressure to the serum contained in said receptacle, whereupon said serum may be discharged therefrom through the needle attached thereto without necessitating the handling of'the needle.

The invention consists in the combina tion and arrrangement of parts-.whereby the above objects and certain other objects hereinafterappearing may be attained, as setforth in the following specification and particularly pointed out in the claims.

Referring to the drawings: Figure 1 is a longitudinal section, partly in elevation through a device embodying my invention. Fig. 2 illustrates in plan and in vertical section the piston rod. Fig. 3 illustrates in detail two views of the elastic band which is provided to secure the protector for inclosing the needle of the device to the barrel. Fig. 4 represents two views of the protector illustrated in Fig. 1.

Like numerals refer to likeparts throughout the several views of the drawings.

*In the drawings, A is the barrel of the device within which the serum orlike substances is stored, said barrel being preferably open at opposite ends. One end of the barrel. A is turned outwardly to form an annular rim B, while the oppositeend of said barrel is slightly contracted or turned in to format bead C. A stopper D constructed of rubber .or other suitable material is arranged within said barrel against the bead O by means of which said stopper is prevented from being forced outwardly by any pressure which may be applied against said stopper -from the opposite end.

A coupling E is attached to the outer end of thestopper D either by being molded into said rubber stopper or by screw-threads, preferably the former. The stopper D is pro idedWith a passage cl extending therethrough, which passage alines with the passagee in the coupling E. Said passage 03 also communicates with a recess orchamber F arranged adjacent the upper part of said stopper. r 1

A destructible diaphragm G is arranged at the inner end ofvthe stopper D and constitutesa closure for the recess F and passages d and e. The diaphragm G is preferably in the form of a very thin flat disk and is constructed of rubber or other'material suitable to temporarily seal the end of said barrel containing said stopper. The T pressure to the serum with the threads of said coupling.

consisting of a piston H constructed of rubber or other suitable material which is normally positioned adjacent the end of said barrel A opposite to that containing said stopper D. After carefully sterilizing the barrel A the serum, or substance to be contained therein, is inserted through the end adjacent to the flaring rim B from which end the stopper D is also inserted. The piston H is then inserted in said barrel to the position shown in Fig. 1. During this insertion of said piston it will be evident that the diaphragm G will be ruptured by the sudden compression of air within said barrel, unless a suitable vent is provided in said piston. For this purpose an air vent passage M has been provided extending through said piston and after said piston has been suitably located, said vent is adapted to be closed and sealed by a coupling L having screwthreaded engagement with said piston. The outer end of the coupling L has a screw threaded socket Z adapted to receive the end of a piston rod 0 having an enlargcd outer end by means of which said piston may be reciprocated within the barrel A. The piston rod 0 is detached from said coupling L- when the device is not in use in order that it may occupy less space. The outer end of the coupling E is screwthreaded in order that an instrument of any desired design, such as a hypodermic needle I may be attached, said instrument having threads to correspond As previously stated it is essential that the needle by which the serum is to be administered should be kept from contact with the air after the same'has been sterilized,

said sterilizing process taking place. previ-- ous to the filling of the barrel, with serum. Therefore to prevent handling of said needle, aprotector J has been provided which is adapted to fit the free end of the barrel entirely closing said needle. An elastic band K of rubber orany other suitable material is placed upon the end of-said barrel previous to the fitting thereon of said protector, and to absolutely seal the joint between said protector and said barrel, any of the wellknown sealing substances may be added thereto.

To operate the device hereinbefore specifically described the piston rod 0 is inserted in the coupling L and the needle inserted beneath the cuticle where the application is to be made, the protector J having previously been removed from the barrel A with out touching the needle. Pressure is then applied to the piston H through the piston rod 0 suflicient to rupture the diaphragm G. After said diaphragm has been ruptured the serum will have an uninterrupted course through the stopper D and the needle I and will be discharged at the end of said needle.

Having thusdescribed my invention what I claim and desire by Letters Patent to secure is:

1. A device of the class described having, in combination, a container for fluids, a stopper detachably arranged adjacent to one end of said container, said stopper having a assage extending therethrough, a destructi le closure attached to said stopper and adapted to normally close said passage, and means constructed and arranged to apply pressure to said fluid within said container to rupture said closure.

2. A device of the class described having, in combination, a barrel adapted to contain serum or the like, a stopper arranged in said barrel, said stopper having a passage extending therethrough, an inturned rim on said barrel adapted to engage said stopper and retain the same therein, a-destructible diaphragm adapted to normally close said passage, said diaphragm being constructed and arranged to be ruptured by the application of pressure to said serum, and means constructed and arranged to apply pressure to said serum.

3. A device of the-class described having, in combination, a barrel adapted to contain liquid, a stopper arranged adjacent to one end of said barrel, said stopper having a passage extending therethrough, a destructible diaphragm attached to said stopper and adapted to normally close said passage, and

' means constructed and arranged to apply pressure to said liquid to rupture said diaphragm, whereby said liquid may be discharged from said barreL- 4. A device of the class described having, in combination, a barrel adapted to contain fluid, a destructible closure for one end of said barrel adapted to be ruptured by the application of pressure to the fluid within said barrel, a piston arranged in said barrel,

said piston being adapted'to be moved to- 'Ward said closure to apply pressure to said fluid, said piston having an air vent extending therethrough adapted to "relieve the pressure on said fluid during the insertion of said piston into said barrel, and means adapted to close said air vent.

. 5. A device of the class described having, in combination, a barrel adapted to contain fluid or the like, a destructible closure for one end of said barrel adapted to be ruptured by the compression of the flued within said barrel, a piston arranged in said barrel adjacent the opposite end-thereof from said closure, said piston being adapted to be moved toward said closure to apply pressure to said fluid, said piston having an air vent extending therethrough adapted to relieve the pressure on said fluid during the insertion of saidpiston into said barrel, a coupling having screw-threaded engagement ate said piston to move said piston and apply pressure tosaid fluid.

In testimony whereof I have aflixed my -signature, in presence of two witnesses.

MARY E. REED. Witnesses:

,ALIOE E. MULLEN,

CATHERINE E. MAHONEY. 

